SPANISH DEFENDER GOIKOETXEA NAMED "TOUGHEST DEFENDER IN FOOTBALL HISTORY"

German magazine "11 Freunde" has given its list of  "The Toughest Defenders in Football History" with Spanish International & Athletic Club Bilbao defender Andoni Goikoetxea taking the Nº 1 position. The only modern - contemporary - player in the list is Real Madrid defender Pepe with the Nº 6 spot & lastly Spanish International & Real Madrid defender José Camacho is given the N º 14 position.

Andoni Goikoetxea won his "fame" with two famous tackles that nearly ended the careers of Diego Armando Maradona & Bernd Schuster. From the former he won - perhaps harshly - the nickname of  "The Butcher of Bilbao" which has hang over his head & image ever since. Here is the infamous video & tackle on Maradona:



Real Madrid defender Pepe has won his fame with the "freak-out" tackle & "head-kicking" of Getafe player Casquero & rest of Getafe players. Here is the video of that impacting incident:



There are other well known names on the list of the "Toughest Defenders" that also earned their reputation & not with "sweet talk".

Here is the full list of player as given by "11 Freunde":

1. Andoni Goikoetxea (Atletic Club Bilbao)
2. Claudio Gentile. 
3. Uli Borowka. 
4. Vinnie Jones. 
5. Nobby Stiles. 
6. Pepe.(Real Madrid CF)
7. Graeme Souness. 
8. Roy Keane. 
9. Norman Hunter. 
10. Helmut Rahner. 

... 14. Camacho (Real Madrid CF).

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MANCHESTER CITY PREPARING OFFER FOR REAL MADRID PEPE ?

The following rumour has been persistent especially from the UK. However, it has gained in temperature locally with Football observers commenting that Englsih Premier League Cub Manchester City is preparing an offer for Real Madrid defender Pepe.

The talk is that Man City will offer 25M€, while Real Madrid does not wish to advance until the figure hits the 30M€. Plus there is no communication out of Real Madrid or new Coach Ancelotti that Pepe is not needed for next season. The Portuguese International of 30 years of age still has years ahead but Madrid may wish to take the money while they have the future guaranteed with young defender Rafael Varane.

With the departure of Kolo Toure from Manchester City, the English Club thinks that Pepe would be the ideal substitute. Question is will Pepe wish to leave Real Madrid as this is another issue all together. Stay tuned!

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MANCHESTER CITY INTEREST FOR REAL MADRID PEPE

Real Madrid 30 year old defender & Portuguese International Pepe has not had the best end to the 2012-2013 season. A notable drop in form with a questioned Champions League semi final performance against Dortmund ( the game Lewandowski scored four goals ), the explosion & regularity of young team-mate Rafael Varane & the fall-out with Mourinho, has blemished somewhat the "union" between the player, fans & Club.

The Spanish Football Club is willing to hear offers & this has sparked the interest of Manchester City with their new Coach Manuel Pellegrini. Spanish Sports media speculate that Real Madrid & Manchester City will meet up next week to discuss a 25M€ offer for Pepe.

The player earns 3.5M€ per season at Real Madrid & Manchester City is said to be willing to offer Pepe 7M€. This could be the last big contract for the Portuguese defender & he may look favourably at new experiences. From the perspective of Real Madrid the Club needs to make room & build the bank account if speculated news signing interests like Bale, Cavani etc are to become reality.

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REAL MADRID | MOURINHO PREFERS LOPEZ OVER CASILLAS PLUS SLAMS PEPE

Explosive press conference given this mid-day by Real Madrid Coach José Mourinho. A press conference that has given media overkill material for headlines & speculation with special hammering for current Real Madrid Captain & goalkeeper Iker Casillas & defender Pepe, the latter who defended Casillas with comments after the last Liga match last weekend.

In a nutshell, Mourinho let known that he has no problem with Iker Casillas at all, simply that he likes more Diego Lopez as a goalkeeper & he makes the decision as Coach. Plus he sent a "shiver" down the spine of many players & media observers ( & perhaps the Club ) insinuating that he may actually stay at Real Madrid next season.

Here are some true gems ...selected Mourinho comments which I have translated to English. 

"Me planteo seguir y siempre jugará Diego López conmigo"
"I am thinking in staying,  & Diego Lopez always would play with me"

I think the "I am thinking of staying" is very ironic & sarcastic ( even humorous ) from Mourinho.

When asked about Pepe:
“Su problema tiene un nombre: Rafael Varane”.
"His problem has a name: Rafael Varane"

He later when on to say that the future defensive line of Real Madrid is Varane & Sergio Ramos.

Then he put the final boot in ( nail in the coffin ) for Pepe with:
"No es fácil para un hombre de 31 años, con status y un pasado, ser atropellado por un niño de 19 años".
"It is not easy for a man (player) of 31, with status and a past, be "run-over" by a 19 year old boy" (Varane)

Devastating for Pepe , & just as nightmarish for Iker Casillas.

Mourinho maybe "bluffing" that he will stay at Real Madrid next season as a tactic to stop players speaking out in public before the important Spanish Cup Final against Atletico de Madrid on Friday 17 May. Or not!

Either way we are in for some exciting & explosive stuff in coming days & weeks.

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REAL MADRID TRANSFER GOSSIP | CHELSEA FC WANTS COENTRAO - PEPE

spain football
A " visual surf" through the local Spanish Football Sports press this morning brings out this story that originally hit the headlines last Friday & today gets a more detailed analysis. According to Portugues Sports paper "Record" BENFICA defender COENTRAO had a heavy verbal debate with his Coach & stormed off the training session last Thursday. This has been interpreted as an act of "rebellion" by the player who is frustrated because his desire to be transferred to REAL MADRID has gone into "stalemate" mode this pass week.

Real Madrid offers 15M€ plus a player,  while Benfica wishes 30M€, here is the obstacle & Coentrao is nervous & unsettled as he sees time go by & both Clubs unable to soften postures.

Coentrao

However, news from Spanish Football Sports paper "AS" adds light today claiming that another important factor explains the players "aggressive" attitude in that it appears that Benfica has accepted the CHELSEA FC offer which does puts the 30M€ as asked by the Club. New Chelsea Coach Villa- Boas wishes to incorporate Coentrao in his future plans, but the player has only eyes for Real Madrid,  thus Benfica & Chelsea cannot shut the operation.

The players strategy is to force Benfica into accepting the Real Madrid offer,  & he has until the 31st of August to keep turning the screws. Stay tuned.

Pepe

Staying with CHELSEA FC, Spanish Football Sports paper "Marca" publish today that REAL MADRID defender PEPE is on the list of new Chelsea Coach Villa-Boas. According to the paper the English Club will be prepared to offer Pepe a 5 year contract earning 5M€ per season.

Beforehand, one suspects that it will be very difficult to get Pepe over to London. What I suspect is that Chelsea is "fishing" with the "over-booking" situation of defenders at Real Madrid & that the Spanish Club may consider the English option if the offer is sufficiently attractive money wise. Plus it is reported ( although I cannot confirm) that Pepe came to an agreement to renew his contract with Real Madrid this season but has yet to sign the official document, thus leaving a door open.

Although as mentioned, looks more a thought from Chelsea´s part than reality. Plus I don´t discard a players agent manoeuvre to "pressure" a bit more Real Madrid. Said all this, anything is possible in Football. Stay tuned.
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VIDEO | PEPE RED CARD INCIDENT WITH DANI ALVES | REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI

I have been accused of being biased, one sided, not objective regarding my below post on what I consider is not a red card, & a moment that radically altered the course of the REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA Champions League 1ºst leg semi-final. I also make the point that the referee standards for the whole Champions League this season has been poor & not up to the standards called for this level.



I have no intention of entering in debates with people who are clouded with their own uncontrollable  primitive - bread & circus - passions & freely hide behind "anonymous" tags to make free remarks that have no basis, no evidence & violate the fundamental right for everyone & anyone to express an opinion. I accept all options, except from "trolls" who claim I "have shown my true colours". In fact, I don't even follow either Clubs & really don´t give a damn who qualifies. I will not feed trolls.



Below is a video from Spanish TV Football Program "Punto Pelota", uploaded by "orcodrenthe" on Vimeo of the 60th min PEPE tackle on ALVES. The conclusion is that Pepe touches the ball & DOES NOT touch Alves, who throws himself on the ground to perform the habitual role of victim. Even ex Barcelona player "Lobo" Carrasco admits Pepe did not touch Alves. Conclusion? It is NOT a RED CARD, if anything, a yellow for showing the studs!



Said this, this wrong referee decision changed the whole course of the Football Match. Nothing more & nothing less said, except adding that referee Stark is a bad referee as past performance proves & that UEFA standards are poor. For those who cannot handle this simple & coherent observation go to another blog or Internet site & "vomit" your opinions on their comments sections. In fact do me & the mayority of the intelligent SFS readers the favour of never to return.


Pepe Expulsion Entrada Alves Real Madrid Barcelona Semifinal Champions Stark from orcodrenthe on Vimeo. Tweet

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REAL MADRID: IN SEARCH OF PEPE II ?

It could not have happened at a worst moment. Just when REAL
MADRID are beginning to find their ideal 11 they lose their Best
defender PEPE for the rest of the season. The Portugues International
is in a "Football state of grace" & falls foul to an awkward landing to
be diagnosed with torn knee ligaments that will require an operation,
6 month recovery period & will miss the World Cup in South Africa.
The player is currently mentally "floored"!
























Real Madrid are seriously considering going to the "Winter Transfer
Market" to find a replacement for the rest of the season. But, can
you really expect to replace Pepe, one of the Best Central Defenders
in the World? Difficult I would suspect.

According to local daily "AS" there are a list of names that they
speculate on which could help out the Spanish Club:

- Otemendi - 21 yrs - Central Defender - Argentine - Velez Sarfield
- Subotic - 21 yrs - Central Defender - Serbian - B.Dortmund
- Lugano - 29 yrs - Central Defender - Uruguay - Fernerbahce
- Senderos - 24 yrs - C.Defender - Swiss - Arsenal
- Zapata - 23 yrs - C.Defender - Colombian - Udinese
- Kjaer - 21 yrs - C.Defender - Denmark - Palermo
- Vertonghen - 22 yrs - flank defender - Belgium - Ajax
- Lescott - 27 yrs - C.Defender - England - Man. City.
- Vargas - 26 yrs - flank defender - Peru - Fiorentina

Lots of names, lots of pure speculation, but does Real need to sign?

There are options. One is GARAY a top class defender, who can play
the ball & has a fantastic shot at goal. He could take up Pepe´s
position comfortably, as the Club just needs to have faith in the player
& give him consistency with games. The other solution is to move
SERGIO RAMOS to the Central position, a place I believe he plays better
than on the flank.

Either way, the Club will make a decision soon. But what is clear that
the injury to Pepe is a big blow for everyone & lets hope Pepe can
recover soon from this hard knock. Tweet

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REAL MADRID: PEPE READY TO COMEBACK AFTER A 10 GAME SUSPENSION

REAL MADRID & Portuguese International defender PEPE became
famous not for his defensive Football skills but for his violent
outburst – fists & kicks included - against Casquero of Getafe in a
“Liga” game that cost him a 10 match suspension for the
“brutality” that he exhibited.

With that sentence served, PEPE is eligible & available for his team
for the upcoming “Liga” match against Tenerife if his Coach sees
the need. Pepe is considered one of the World’s Best Defenders &
no one doubts that his presence will add class & the security that
Real Madrid needs in an area that has been criticised of late. The
player himself has commented in a Press Conference that the
aggression is a thing of the past & now he wishes to prove the type
of correct person he is really. All he desires is to return, play &
help his side achieve the objectives set for his season.

We hope Pepe never does this ever again…SEE VIDEO:

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REAL MADRID: PEPE IN THE CRISTIANO RONALDO TRANSFER OPERATION?

News from Spain & its Sporting newspapers comment that the
more than likely new REALMADRID President Florentino Perez
- who will officially announce his candidacy this Thursday - was
not impressed at all by the tantrum exhibited by CRISTIANO
RONALDO last Sunday towards his Coach Ferguson. But what really
is taking the steam & enthusiasm out of Mr.Perez when it comes
to the MANCHESTER UNITED star is his elevated "previously
agreed" transfer fee for Cristiano Ronaldo of 100M€.
















From Portugal, concretely from the daily paper "Record", it makes
echo of this financial concern & puts up the option that players may
come into the operation to lower the astronomic figure. The main
named mentioned is young Portugues Real Madrid Central Defender
PEPE, plus another undisclosed player/s. Real Madrid wishes to pay
around 30M€ in cash & the rest with players to make up
approximately the figure that was shut in its day by ex-President
Calderon in the secretive "pre-contracts".

Hard to believe all this intially, as Pepe is considered vital for the
future project of Real. Perhaps other names will be put up like
Robben, Van Der Vaart, Huntelaar, Sneijder...who really knows,
we will stay tuned for developments

PD. SFS will not be posting again until next Friday. I am going on a
95 km walk - Gijon to Covadonga - on a "spiritual" promise. Yes,
there is more in life than just Football...but just :-) Tweet

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THE PEPE & CASQUERO CASE: AN ALTERNATIVE ANGLE

The now infamous PEPE incident in last Tuesdays Real Madrid – Getafe
game of the Spanish “Liga” has spread like wildfire around the World
& has been the most discussed Football (Soccer) issue in the past
couple of days. There are opinions of all sorts, some are very extreme,
“overheated” & go as far as to suggest that Pepe be banned from
playing Football, some even have said locked away!













Before SFS goes any further, let it be clear, the actions of Pepe are
unjustifiable & are to be condemned at all levels. It is not the
behaviour that young fans should take as the “norm” or for that
matter any Sports fan, as they have seriously dimmed the prestige of
Real Madrid, Spanish Football & have directly marked the career of a
brilliant & promising Portuguese International defender. With 3 minutes
left of play & his team in a 2-2 draw situation, his foul in the penalty
area on Casquero brought into the mind of Pepe the following
nightmare: that he would be responsible for allowing League ladders
FC Barcelona to escape further on points – 9 if Casquero hadn’t later
missed his penalty & Higuaín not scored the winner 2 minutes
later - thus making it impossible of having any chance at all of clinching
from Barça the League Championship title. The Real Madrid players, &
Pepe in this case, are so singled mindedly focused on the task that it
is a straight case of winning at all costs, defeat does not enter the
equation & the reality of it being otherwise made Pepe “snap”, lose
control, go crazy & do things that has baffled & outraged many as being
outside of the normal conduct of any sportsman yet along a rational
human being. SFS repeats, I am not defeating the actions of Pepe
& agree they should be severely punished, however SFS is making
an effort to place itself – even for a moment – in the skin of Pepe
& feel the circumstances & the pressures that he must have been
under at the time.

This afternoon Pepe has received a 10 match suspension, one of
the highest in Spanish Football history, he will miss the Barça derby,
the rest of the season & part of the other. He may have already
indirectly given Barça the League title, as Real will find it hard to
replace him in defence with a player of his level – with all due
respects to the substitute who that maybe - enough personal suffering
here already do you agree? Added to all this, his Club Real Madrid
will also sanction him & that will have its slice of pain on the man.
The public, the fans & the whole World are calling for his head, his
permanent banning & writing/calling him all sorts of outrageous names
& things that in themselves may also be sanctioned if taken to a legal
court, the man is being crucified. Pepe has reacted to all this by
going out publicly & apologising to Casquero & Albin of Getafe, to his
Club & all the public, brave move under the barrage of “stones” being
thrown at him. He has also accepted to take up immediately
psychological counselling to control his competitive & aggressive
impulses so that his “violence” never appears again. Let’s give the
man another chance, at least, a minimum moment of understanding
before sending him to the “gallows”. The 10 match punishment is
enough & that hurts inhumanly any top level professional sportsperson,
plus he has the “extreme sector” of the public to remind him for the
rest of his playing days “that famous Tuesday night” in 2009.

Here are two videos that everyone should see. The web portal
“YouTube” is full of clips similar & you can have hours of “fun”
searching for more. The first is LEGENDARY Frenchmen ERIC CANTONA
losing it totally & Kung-fuing” a spectator! The second clip is a collage
of various similar incidents throughout Football’s (Soccer’s) recent
history - check out Maradona halfway through the clip; I rest my case
with both examples. By the way I left out Zidane!

Thankfully, we do live in a society with free speech & SFS welcomes
& accepts all opinions & all thoughts, liked or disliked. SFS is simply
contributing to debate & further analysis. Thanks to all the comments
& emails received, they are definitely interesting to say the least :-)




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REAL MADRID: PEPE GETS A 10 MATCH SUSPENSION

The Spanish Football "Disciplinary Committee" has handed down this
afternoon a 10 match suspension to REAL MADRID defender PEPE after
Tuesday nights “loss of control” & “violence” against Getafe players
Casquero & later Albin. That´s only what was bleamed around the World,
there also was abusive language to the linesmen & he jumped back on the
field to celebrate Higuain´s winning last minute goal when he was just sent
off with a Red Card.

The sentence is the following:
4 games for the violent kicking towards Casquero
4 games for punching Albin in the face
1 game for the red card
1 game for verbally abusing the linesmen.

One of the highest in Spanish Football History!

Real Madrid has also said they will hand down their own punishment to the
player for damaging the image of the Club nationally & worldwide. The
normal procedure is a heavy economic fine, however the Club may decide
to go further considering the extraordinary behaviour shown by Pepe & the
circumstances. Getafe President Angel Torres is not happy & has called on
Real Madrid to break its contract with the Portuguese player, an extreme
opinion from some sectors who are baffled & still cannot explain the player’s
violent outburst.

Pepe now says goodbye to the remaining six games of this season & will
miss the start of the next. The player has expressed his sincere apologises
to the players involved, his team-mates, the Club, the fans & everyone who
witnessed his actions. He has said that he will seek counselling to control his
temperament & ensure this never happens again. The best thing that Pepe
can do is to continue training, support his team-mates & the Club as they fight
to attempt to snatch away from Barça the Spanish League title, that & a well
earned break (holidays) while this all calms down & the dust settles.

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VIDEO: PEPE GOES "MAD" & KICKS CASQUERO & PUNCHES ALBIN - REAL MADRID vs GETAFE 2009

Yesterdays Real Madrid 3 - Getafe 2 match had a dark spot. It was the
87th min & Real Madrid defender PEPE fouled Getafe player CASQUERO
& went MAD!!! He went after the player while on the ground & KICKED
him twice, yes twice, & later while arguing with players PUNCHED Getafe
player ALBIN while his team-mate Gago attempt to keep him away.

A Red Card & penalty - that Casquero missed. However a disgraceful show
of events & a low point in Pepe´s career that may keep him off the field for
weeks. Getafe Presibent called for a 10 week suspension. See the 2
VIDEOS:

Pepe Goes Mad

Totally unexplained behaviour that may have a reason, but it´s not justifiable.
Unfortunate reaction from the World class defender that now has to live
with it all & accept the punishment. Pepe apologized after the game. Tweet

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